Disclaimer: I am not Joss, nor am I J.K. Rowlings or anything else, but me.
Author's Note: I wanna thank everyone that reviewed my pretty story! Just wanted to say thanks. Sorry it took so long, but I hope it was worth the wait!
Chapter 16
"Oliver!" Buffy hollered following him through the school corridors, she realized that he was avoiding her and she thought she knew, but he wouldn't let her explain, he just avoided her. The slayer put her determined face on and chased after the Gryfindor keeper knowing that he didn't have anything on her slayer speed and he must have realized it too, because he stopped and turned to face her.
"Buffy." He replied calmly, as though he hadn't been avoiding Buffy for the last week. Everyone stopped and stared, because they had watched from a far and the slayer and the keeper weren't doing too well apart, neither one slept much and their grades were slipping. They slept through their classes, when they went to them, and Giles had actually managed to get a couple of good hits in during their training sessions.
"We need to talk." Buffy informed him, grabbing his arm she pulled him after her, down the corridors and into her room, slamming the door behind them. Oliver watched as she restlessly paced back and forth in front of him, neither of them saying anything. Buffy seemed to be having an internal battle in front of him and Oliver couldn't bring himself to ask if there was anything he could do, because he was afraid. He was terrified that there would be something that he could do to help, something that make his heart break, even more then it already had. He was terrified that she was going to ask him to let her go, so he decided to do the only thing he could, leave.
"If you're not going to say anything, can I go?" he asked in a bored tone, his heart hurting at the raw emotion that was pouring through his body as he gazed at her. The hurt hadn't lessened any during their week apart, if anything it seemed to be getting worse, watching her, seeing her and not being able to hold her was Hell on him and he couldn't take much more of this.
"No!" Buffy yelled, grimacing at the tone that came out, "no. I'm sorry." She said looking at him, "I didn't mean.."
"To hurt me?" Oliver asked, finishing her statement before she could, "When are you going to realize that I care about you?"
"I know you care about me." Buffy said, holding up her hand to stop him from talking, "Could I continue, please?" Oliver noticed the intense look that she had taken and nodded absently, watching the fire sparkle through her eyes, "When I was in Sunnydale, no one really wanted to hear about how much danger I was in. It was like as long as I was there to take care of the bad guys it was okay with them and when I came here, with you.." she trailed off and looked at him, but he was waiting for her to continue, "I just don't know what to do." She said finally, sitting down on her bed in defeat as she waited for him to leave the room, as he had so anxiously expressed to do earlier. Oliver stared at her for a second, taking a moment to absorb what she had just admitted, before his feet carried him to the bed and he was pulling her into his arms.
"I worry about you." He admitted, resting his chin on her head, as she snuggled into his embrace, his back resting against the headboard. "When I heard that Glory had seen you and you hadn't even thought about telling me, I was terrified about what else you hadn't told me."
"That's it." She promised, her arms snaking around his body and pulling him closer to her, as she relaxed into him, "I'm just used to being alone. To not being understood, but to act happy and report when the bad guy is dead." Her voice sounded distant, as though she wasn't really in the room with him, his arms tightened around her, as though to bind her to the here and now. Her memories taking hold of her and bringing back the bittersweet feeling that she had lost when she first got to Hogwarts.
'It's funny,' she thought as she snuggled closer to Oliver, she had never thought that she would find someone to laugh with. Someone that would hold her and let her cry or rage out her feelings. Someone that didn't mind if she was just a girl, she didn't have to be the slayer with him.
"But you're not alone anymore. You don't have to deal with all of this by yourself." He promised, tilting her head up so that she could see the truth in his eyes. He caressed the side of her face, marveling at how soft she was, how smooth her skin was. He was lost in the scent that was uniquely Buffy, vanilla and something else. He wasn't too sure what it was, but it seemed to flare whenever she was feeling a strong emotion, almost like it was part of her.
"I know," she said, "now." She stared at him, his thumb brushing across her lips, before he leaned down, giving her plenty of time to back away, but she didn't and his lips settled against hers in a sweet kiss, one meant to sooth away the hurt of the week. Buffy shifted closer to him, moving her arms to around his neck and pulling him closer, as she opened her mouth under his, her tongue flicking across his lips, begging entrance. Oliver immediately complied, opening his mouth to her, their tongues dueling softly, before breathing became an issue and Oliver pulled back, his forehead resting against hers.
"And don't you forget it." He muttered, before catching her mouth once again, this time he was the one that demanded access into the moist cavern of her mouth, seeking out the unique taste that was Buffy. They explored each other's mouths for long minutes, neither noticing the passing time, as their bodies where finally giving into the toll the week had taken on them and were demanding that the price be paid.
"I won't." she promised, when they had broken the kiss, putting her head back on his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist, letting out a big yawn. "Stay?" she asked sleepily, unaware that her seeker was already asleep, arms wrapped around her holding her to him, as though he were afraid that she would be leaving him at any moment. Smiling, Buffy snuggled closer to him, laying her had back on his chest and closing her eyes, content for the first time in days before she, too, fell into a peaceful sleep.
Great Hall
"Have you seen Buffy?" Snape asked, his question directed towards Joyce and Giles, both shaking their heads negatively. With a frustrated sigh, Snape spun on the heel of his foot and began to stalk out of the Great Hall, making his way towards his daughter's room.
"Is she missing?" Joyce asked, worriedly getting to her feet, following Snape out of the great hall. Neither parent realizing that Giles had followed them out of the Great Hall and with a worried look upon his face.
"She missed my class," he said and Joyce stopped walking and stared after him, until he realized that she was no longer following him and stopped to look at her questioningly.
"Buffy has a tendency to miss class." Joyce pointed out, remembering how hard it was to get the slayer to get up and go to classes after a hard night of slaying. "Maybe she's sleeping?"
"She has never missed my class." Snape told Joyce, who looked a bit shocked at the news, before continuing on his way to Buffy's room, Joyce following him, "Besides we both know that Buffy hasn't been sleeping at all, since the fight with Oliver." Both parents and Giles had been giving the seeker death glares, since they had found out about the fight, Buffy had run, sobbing, into her parents room and collapsed on her mother, telling her everything in a hiccupping voice, and Joyce had, of course, told Snape and Giles. Giving the password to the painting, Snape stepped into the room, Joyce following him right in and running into him when he suddenly stopped, Giles stopping in time so that he didn't actually hit either one. Peeking around Joyce, Giles could clearly see the two forms on the bed and while he was worried about the implications, he was happy that his slayer had finally settled everything out or at least he was hoping. Giles realized that Oliver and Buffy where both still dressed, so it wasn't as bad as it looked and it was more likely that they both fell into an exhausted sleep. Releasing a sigh, Giles turned on his heel and walked out of the room, leaving Buffy's parents to deal with everything, he would discuss it with Buffy later.
"I'll kill him." Snape said, moving towards the bed, only to be stopped by Joyce, who put a restraining arm on him and pushed him towards the still open door. As Snape left the room, Joyce crossed the room to the bed, looking down at her daughter, who hadn't looked so peaceful in a long time, and pulled a blanket up over the two of them. While she didn't like leaving the two of them alone, anymore than Snape, Joyce realized that Buffy wouldn't rush into anything and the two kids had been sound asleep and fully clothed.
"Is there a reason you are leaving our daughter alone, in bed, with that boy?" Snape asked when Joyce appeared in the hallway, closing the picture softly behind her and asking the picture not to admit anyone else, unless the occupants left the room first.
"Because I trust our daughter." Joyce replied, taking Snape by the arm and pulling him away from their daughter's room and towards their own. "She was fully clothed and sound asleep."
"What is to stop them when they awaken?" Snape asked, frustrated that Joyce was not sharing his concern of their daughter's sex life.
"Buffy." Joyce replied with certainty.
Buffy's Room: Later that Night
Buffy stretched leisurely, as she slowly came to consciousness, turning around to look at Oliver as she all of her memories came back to her. She touched the side of his face softly as she thought about everything that had been settled and everything that hadn't. A slight frown marred her face, as she realized that they still weren't officially going out or anything of the sort, no commitment had been made between the two of them. She also realized that the two of them hadn't considered dating anyone else and it was almost like an unspoken promise between the two of them.
Buffy jerked as she felt the soft brush of Oliver's lips on her hand, as he came awake, and not wishing to startle her, kissed the palm of her hand, which had still be laying on his cheek.
"Hey." He said softly and Buffy smiled at him, leaning down and kissing him on the lips.
"Hi." She replied, grinning like a fool. "so," she began, unsure of how to go with what she wanted to say, what if he didn't want to?
"So." He repeated, looking at Buffy as the candlelight flickered across the room, his breath caught in his throat as he was struck with just how beautiful she was. In that moment, he realized that he wanted a hold on the slayer; he wanted her to be his.
"Would you go out with me?" she blurted out, before her courage got up and ran out the door. Buffy felt her heart sink as Oliver stared at her, "it's okay if you don't wanna." She rushed on, beating down the hurt that she felt starting to move away from Oliver, when Oliver pulled her pulled her back to him catching her mouth in a heated kiss, before pulling away.
"Yea." He replied, "I was just a little shocked that you asked me."
"Well if I waited any longer for you to ask me," Buffy said playfully, a feeling of giddiness passing through her body, "I would be old and wrinkly." Oliver made a swipe for the slayer, who danced backwards, amusement written on her face.
"Buffy?" they heard the muffled voice of Willow through the door.
"Just a minute!" Buffy hollered back, grinning at Oliver, her boyfriend! She ran to the picture and threw it open, revealing Willow, Oz, and Xander on the other side. "Hey!"
"Hey," Willow said, looking past the slayer to Oliver, who was still seated on the bed, "is everything okay?"
"Great!" Buffy replied a huge smile plastered on her face, Willow answered with a smile of her own understanding right away what had happened between the two, while Oz and Xander looked on in confusion, before shrugging and following them into the room.
"And what have you crazy kids been doing?" Xander asked slyly, as they all settled onto the bed, Oliver leaning against the headboard, with Buffy in his arms, Oz and Willow seated next to them and Xander at the foot of the bed.
"Slept." Buffy and Oliver replied at the same time, before looking at each other and laughing.
"Is that what they call it now a days?" Xander said, once again and got hit with a pillow, which he picked up and carefully examined it, before yelling, "Pillow Fight!" Hitting Willow with the pillow, who glared at Xander, before she grabbed another pillow and hit Xander, who went to retaliate, only to have Oz stop him. Buffy and Oliver stared at them for a second, before grabbing their own pillows and joining in the fight. Their shrieks and laughter ringing through the empty halls of Hogwarts.
Giles's Room:
"Dear Lord." He muttered re-reading the letter for the thousandth time, before letting it float to the ground.
'Dear Mr. Giles,
It has come to our attention that your slayer's eighteenth birthday has past and that you did not perform the Cruciamentum. We regret to inform you that you are fired from the Watcher's council. There will be a new watcher sent, please inform the slayer and stay out of his way.
Sincerely, Quinten Travers.'
Author's Note: I wanna thank everyone that reviewed my pretty story! Just wanted to say thanks. Sorry it took so long, but I hope it was worth the wait!
Chapter 16
"Oliver!" Buffy hollered following him through the school corridors, she realized that he was avoiding her and she thought she knew, but he wouldn't let her explain, he just avoided her. The slayer put her determined face on and chased after the Gryfindor keeper knowing that he didn't have anything on her slayer speed and he must have realized it too, because he stopped and turned to face her.
"Buffy." He replied calmly, as though he hadn't been avoiding Buffy for the last week. Everyone stopped and stared, because they had watched from a far and the slayer and the keeper weren't doing too well apart, neither one slept much and their grades were slipping. They slept through their classes, when they went to them, and Giles had actually managed to get a couple of good hits in during their training sessions.
"We need to talk." Buffy informed him, grabbing his arm she pulled him after her, down the corridors and into her room, slamming the door behind them. Oliver watched as she restlessly paced back and forth in front of him, neither of them saying anything. Buffy seemed to be having an internal battle in front of him and Oliver couldn't bring himself to ask if there was anything he could do, because he was afraid. He was terrified that there would be something that he could do to help, something that make his heart break, even more then it already had. He was terrified that she was going to ask him to let her go, so he decided to do the only thing he could, leave.
"If you're not going to say anything, can I go?" he asked in a bored tone, his heart hurting at the raw emotion that was pouring through his body as he gazed at her. The hurt hadn't lessened any during their week apart, if anything it seemed to be getting worse, watching her, seeing her and not being able to hold her was Hell on him and he couldn't take much more of this.
"No!" Buffy yelled, grimacing at the tone that came out, "no. I'm sorry." She said looking at him, "I didn't mean.."
"To hurt me?" Oliver asked, finishing her statement before she could, "When are you going to realize that I care about you?"
"I know you care about me." Buffy said, holding up her hand to stop him from talking, "Could I continue, please?" Oliver noticed the intense look that she had taken and nodded absently, watching the fire sparkle through her eyes, "When I was in Sunnydale, no one really wanted to hear about how much danger I was in. It was like as long as I was there to take care of the bad guys it was okay with them and when I came here, with you.." she trailed off and looked at him, but he was waiting for her to continue, "I just don't know what to do." She said finally, sitting down on her bed in defeat as she waited for him to leave the room, as he had so anxiously expressed to do earlier. Oliver stared at her for a second, taking a moment to absorb what she had just admitted, before his feet carried him to the bed and he was pulling her into his arms.
"I worry about you." He admitted, resting his chin on her head, as she snuggled into his embrace, his back resting against the headboard. "When I heard that Glory had seen you and you hadn't even thought about telling me, I was terrified about what else you hadn't told me."
"That's it." She promised, her arms snaking around his body and pulling him closer to her, as she relaxed into him, "I'm just used to being alone. To not being understood, but to act happy and report when the bad guy is dead." Her voice sounded distant, as though she wasn't really in the room with him, his arms tightened around her, as though to bind her to the here and now. Her memories taking hold of her and bringing back the bittersweet feeling that she had lost when she first got to Hogwarts.
'It's funny,' she thought as she snuggled closer to Oliver, she had never thought that she would find someone to laugh with. Someone that would hold her and let her cry or rage out her feelings. Someone that didn't mind if she was just a girl, she didn't have to be the slayer with him.
"But you're not alone anymore. You don't have to deal with all of this by yourself." He promised, tilting her head up so that she could see the truth in his eyes. He caressed the side of her face, marveling at how soft she was, how smooth her skin was. He was lost in the scent that was uniquely Buffy, vanilla and something else. He wasn't too sure what it was, but it seemed to flare whenever she was feeling a strong emotion, almost like it was part of her.
"I know," she said, "now." She stared at him, his thumb brushing across her lips, before he leaned down, giving her plenty of time to back away, but she didn't and his lips settled against hers in a sweet kiss, one meant to sooth away the hurt of the week. Buffy shifted closer to him, moving her arms to around his neck and pulling him closer, as she opened her mouth under his, her tongue flicking across his lips, begging entrance. Oliver immediately complied, opening his mouth to her, their tongues dueling softly, before breathing became an issue and Oliver pulled back, his forehead resting against hers.
"And don't you forget it." He muttered, before catching her mouth once again, this time he was the one that demanded access into the moist cavern of her mouth, seeking out the unique taste that was Buffy. They explored each other's mouths for long minutes, neither noticing the passing time, as their bodies where finally giving into the toll the week had taken on them and were demanding that the price be paid.
"I won't." she promised, when they had broken the kiss, putting her head back on his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist, letting out a big yawn. "Stay?" she asked sleepily, unaware that her seeker was already asleep, arms wrapped around her holding her to him, as though he were afraid that she would be leaving him at any moment. Smiling, Buffy snuggled closer to him, laying her had back on his chest and closing her eyes, content for the first time in days before she, too, fell into a peaceful sleep.
Great Hall
"Have you seen Buffy?" Snape asked, his question directed towards Joyce and Giles, both shaking their heads negatively. With a frustrated sigh, Snape spun on the heel of his foot and began to stalk out of the Great Hall, making his way towards his daughter's room.
"Is she missing?" Joyce asked, worriedly getting to her feet, following Snape out of the great hall. Neither parent realizing that Giles had followed them out of the Great Hall and with a worried look upon his face.
"She missed my class," he said and Joyce stopped walking and stared after him, until he realized that she was no longer following him and stopped to look at her questioningly.
"Buffy has a tendency to miss class." Joyce pointed out, remembering how hard it was to get the slayer to get up and go to classes after a hard night of slaying. "Maybe she's sleeping?"
"She has never missed my class." Snape told Joyce, who looked a bit shocked at the news, before continuing on his way to Buffy's room, Joyce following him, "Besides we both know that Buffy hasn't been sleeping at all, since the fight with Oliver." Both parents and Giles had been giving the seeker death glares, since they had found out about the fight, Buffy had run, sobbing, into her parents room and collapsed on her mother, telling her everything in a hiccupping voice, and Joyce had, of course, told Snape and Giles. Giving the password to the painting, Snape stepped into the room, Joyce following him right in and running into him when he suddenly stopped, Giles stopping in time so that he didn't actually hit either one. Peeking around Joyce, Giles could clearly see the two forms on the bed and while he was worried about the implications, he was happy that his slayer had finally settled everything out or at least he was hoping. Giles realized that Oliver and Buffy where both still dressed, so it wasn't as bad as it looked and it was more likely that they both fell into an exhausted sleep. Releasing a sigh, Giles turned on his heel and walked out of the room, leaving Buffy's parents to deal with everything, he would discuss it with Buffy later.
"I'll kill him." Snape said, moving towards the bed, only to be stopped by Joyce, who put a restraining arm on him and pushed him towards the still open door. As Snape left the room, Joyce crossed the room to the bed, looking down at her daughter, who hadn't looked so peaceful in a long time, and pulled a blanket up over the two of them. While she didn't like leaving the two of them alone, anymore than Snape, Joyce realized that Buffy wouldn't rush into anything and the two kids had been sound asleep and fully clothed.
"Is there a reason you are leaving our daughter alone, in bed, with that boy?" Snape asked when Joyce appeared in the hallway, closing the picture softly behind her and asking the picture not to admit anyone else, unless the occupants left the room first.
"Because I trust our daughter." Joyce replied, taking Snape by the arm and pulling him away from their daughter's room and towards their own. "She was fully clothed and sound asleep."
"What is to stop them when they awaken?" Snape asked, frustrated that Joyce was not sharing his concern of their daughter's sex life.
"Buffy." Joyce replied with certainty.
Buffy's Room: Later that Night
Buffy stretched leisurely, as she slowly came to consciousness, turning around to look at Oliver as she all of her memories came back to her. She touched the side of his face softly as she thought about everything that had been settled and everything that hadn't. A slight frown marred her face, as she realized that they still weren't officially going out or anything of the sort, no commitment had been made between the two of them. She also realized that the two of them hadn't considered dating anyone else and it was almost like an unspoken promise between the two of them.
Buffy jerked as she felt the soft brush of Oliver's lips on her hand, as he came awake, and not wishing to startle her, kissed the palm of her hand, which had still be laying on his cheek.
"Hey." He said softly and Buffy smiled at him, leaning down and kissing him on the lips.
"Hi." She replied, grinning like a fool. "so," she began, unsure of how to go with what she wanted to say, what if he didn't want to?
"So." He repeated, looking at Buffy as the candlelight flickered across the room, his breath caught in his throat as he was struck with just how beautiful she was. In that moment, he realized that he wanted a hold on the slayer; he wanted her to be his.
"Would you go out with me?" she blurted out, before her courage got up and ran out the door. Buffy felt her heart sink as Oliver stared at her, "it's okay if you don't wanna." She rushed on, beating down the hurt that she felt starting to move away from Oliver, when Oliver pulled her pulled her back to him catching her mouth in a heated kiss, before pulling away.
"Yea." He replied, "I was just a little shocked that you asked me."
"Well if I waited any longer for you to ask me," Buffy said playfully, a feeling of giddiness passing through her body, "I would be old and wrinkly." Oliver made a swipe for the slayer, who danced backwards, amusement written on her face.
"Buffy?" they heard the muffled voice of Willow through the door.
"Just a minute!" Buffy hollered back, grinning at Oliver, her boyfriend! She ran to the picture and threw it open, revealing Willow, Oz, and Xander on the other side. "Hey!"
"Hey," Willow said, looking past the slayer to Oliver, who was still seated on the bed, "is everything okay?"
"Great!" Buffy replied a huge smile plastered on her face, Willow answered with a smile of her own understanding right away what had happened between the two, while Oz and Xander looked on in confusion, before shrugging and following them into the room.
"And what have you crazy kids been doing?" Xander asked slyly, as they all settled onto the bed, Oliver leaning against the headboard, with Buffy in his arms, Oz and Willow seated next to them and Xander at the foot of the bed.
"Slept." Buffy and Oliver replied at the same time, before looking at each other and laughing.
"Is that what they call it now a days?" Xander said, once again and got hit with a pillow, which he picked up and carefully examined it, before yelling, "Pillow Fight!" Hitting Willow with the pillow, who glared at Xander, before she grabbed another pillow and hit Xander, who went to retaliate, only to have Oz stop him. Buffy and Oliver stared at them for a second, before grabbing their own pillows and joining in the fight. Their shrieks and laughter ringing through the empty halls of Hogwarts.
Giles's Room:
"Dear Lord." He muttered re-reading the letter for the thousandth time, before letting it float to the ground.
'Dear Mr. Giles,
It has come to our attention that your slayer's eighteenth birthday has past and that you did not perform the Cruciamentum. We regret to inform you that you are fired from the Watcher's council. There will be a new watcher sent, please inform the slayer and stay out of his way.
Sincerely, Quinten Travers.'